cause I will never find another you
by oceanofoswald
Summary: Klaroline: "You're going to pull all your beautiful hair out if you keep doing that." The husky voice by her ear whispers and she tries not to shiver. "And then what would I have to run my hands through so very late at night?" Mate AU.
1. prologue

**a/n -** I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M STARTING THIS LEAVE ME ALONE.

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**prologue**

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"That bitch!" Rebekah fumes as Hayley continues licking the inside of Matt's mouth.

"Agreed." Caroline raises her plastic cup towards Rebekah.

"She _knows_ I like him!"

"Mmmhmm." Caroline finishes her drink and pouts down at the empty cup.

"I have to get her back!" Rebekah grins. "I know! April found out for me-"

"By that do you mean eavesdropped?"

"Technicalities." She says with a wave of her hand. "She found out that the she wolf has a massive crush on my brother."

"Which brother?" Caroline asks, she suspects Elijah as she's seen Hayley drooling in his lecture...with her eyes open!

"Nik."

Caroline sniggers. "The psychotic werewolf?" Rebekah narrows her eyes at her. "Uh, um, yeah, he's handsome I guess."

"A, you're not suppose to know about the supernatural in the first place so _ssssh_ and b, you're going to have to guess a lot harder."

"What do you mean?" Caroline eyes her conniving friend suspiciously.

Rebekah smirks. "Well, in order to get revenge I need to react in kind, so..."

Caroline gasps, catching on. "You want me to make out with your brother?"

"Well _I_ can't do it!"

"That is _so_ not a legit reason!"

"Come on, Care. Please?" Rebekah gives her the puppy eyes. "For me?"

Caroline groans. "Uh, I'm really going to regret this.._fine_, fine."

Rebekah hugs her with a smirk on her face. Oh, it's revenge she'll be getting. Just not on Hayley.

.

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	2. one

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**one**

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"I want to stay with Stefan." Rebekah watches her brother's jaw clench.

"Why? Because he's your _true love_?" His eyes narrow mockingly. "Have you really grown pathetic enough to believe in that bond nonsense?" He throws up his hand and shakes his head, walking back towards the car door.

"It is true, Nik!" She cries. "Stefan is my mate. Forever and always." She grins at him, so happy. He hates it. Slamming his hand against the car door, he angrily glares at her.

"It is a myth, Bekah. Nothing more. Now get in the car."

"No! It's true! I've felt it!" She insists, tears welling in her eyes.

"Oh, please. You feel it with every man who will give you even the slightest bit of attention." She flinches and he grits his teeth, telling himself not to care. "Now. Get. In. The. Car."

"No," she whispers, gulping slightly. "You are just jealous because you know no one will ever love you like Stefan will me." The tears leak down her cheeks. He inhales sharply. "You are cruel and selfish and over the centuries you have lost hope, but not me. Never me. But now you refuse to give me happiness I-" Rebekah sighs. "I cannot live like this. I want to be with Stefan. I _will_ be with Stefan. Goodbye, Nik."

One of the few times he feels despair is when he daggers his sister.

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'When you find your mate, Nik. _If_ you do. I will be there to ruin it for you.' She vows to himself as he lays her gently into the coffin.

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Caroline weaves her way through the crowd of people. She's never actually met Rebekah's brothers (bar Elijah and pictures from Rebekah's phone she may or may not have sent to her own when the blonde vampire wasn't looking) or been in her house before (neither from lack of trying, mind you) but she's heard more than enough about them. She hadn't believed Rebekah's supernatural madness at first, as any same person wouldn't. But then Rebekah proved it and Caroline ended up wearing a scarf for a week. Needless to say she isn't too excited about kissing a werewolf-vampire— what did Rebekah call it? High-something. Of course she thought Rebekah _was_ high at the time so she didn't really listen.

She probably should have.

In fact, now that she thinks about it, Rebekah spends more time keeping her away from her family than she does contemplating what shoes to wear— and _that_ goes on for hours! Seriously, this woman had more shoes than Reyers! Caroline had presumed it was to keep her safe but now she's sending her up to her mass-murdering (she's got all the details) high-something brother's room to _kiss_ him. Which actually doesn't make sense because Hayley won't be able to see—

"Oh, shoot! Sorry!" Caroline stumbles slightly as she bumps into someone.

"Watch where you're going, Forbes." Tyler shoves past her, knocking her over in the process. She'd yell at him but Rebekah found out he's a werewolf so, better not.

Caroline winces as she inspects the cut on her hand. Thanks douchebag. She groggily gets up, rubbing where her head hit the wall. Rebekah appears suddenly in front of her.

"What the hell are you doing?" She hisses.

"Uh-" Rebekah shakes her head angrily and drags her along the corridor. Someone pops up in front of them.

"Oh, I smell blood. Has this party finally gotten interesting?"

Rebekah clicks her tongue. "No, Kol. There was just an accident." Oh, another brother.

Elijah suddenly appears too. "I smelt blood, what happened?" Oh brilliant, vampire family meeting. Wow, her head hurts. Are her legs supposed to feel this wobbly?

"Nothing, 'Lijah. I'm taking care of it."

"I'll take care of it for you."

"_You_ don't touch her!"

Her vision is suddenly blurry. She recognises the sound of a door swinging open and hitting the wall loudly. "What the bloody hell is-"

She sees a pair of bright blue eyes before everything goes black.

.

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	3. two

**a/n -** I've been thinking that I should upload something and I happened to get a nice review on this one which made me remember it existed. Yay.

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**two**

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"How did you find her?" Caroline makes out the words as she comes to.

"Gloria didn't just owe _you_ favours, brother dearest." She recognises Rebekah's angry hiss (she has heard it a _lot_).

"I'm going to—"

"What, Nik? Dagger me?" Rebekah mocks.

"Perhaps we should all settle down." Elijah placates.

"Perhaps we should all stop betraying each other." Kol raises his eyebrows. He turns to her and winks when he sees she's watching them. Caroline smiles awkwardly at him, pushing herself upward into a sitting position now that she's been caught.

"Oh good, you're awake. How's the head?" Caroline glares at Rebekah. "What? I didn't know Tyler Lockwood would be idiotic enough to show up at a party on a full moon." Caroline rolls her eyes but otherwise stays silent. She's scared, sue her.

The room falls silent. Caroline follows Kol's smirk to the High-something brother. He's watching the fireplace (why would you need a fireplace in your bedroom? Well, heat but—maybe it is a good idea) while everyone's watching him.

"So, Caroline. How do you know Rebekah?"

Caroline furrows her eyebrows at Elijah. "From school."

Elijah nods. "Oh, yes, I knew that."

"Oh, for—Caroline, you're going to make lots of puppies with my broody brother. There. Can we do something interesting now?"

Caroline is confused, because of the creepy werewolf-vampire puppy thing. And hurt, because she thought Rebekah was her friend. She thought she trusted and respected her when she told her, and only her, about her supernatural secret. But she was just using her.

Caroline shakes her head and leaves the room. She knows she can't just ignore this and wait for it to go away but she definitely needs time to sort out the whole mess. To understand it, even.

"Where are you going?" His voice is harder than it could be, like he's angry, but at the same time softer than it could be, like he's scared. She doesn't know why she notices little things, like how his fists clench and unclench almost like he's fighting himself. Or how he's standing straight with his head high as if to insert dominance. She's never been an intuitive person. She's never really been the kind of person who thinks to look at these types of things. But it feels different now, if that makes sense (don't worry, she's aware how much it doesn't).

"Home." He closes his eyes and nods his head with a little smirk on his lips. She doesn't want to even attempt to analyse that. "'K, bye."

Caroline scurries out the door, away from him.

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She listens to the door slam, a smile on her lips. "REBEKAH!" She examines her nails as he stomps into her room. He stands in the doorway, his fists shaking. She rolls her eyes.

"Relax, Nik." Rebekah smiles sweetly (_slyly_) at him. "I told you you'd like it here."

Klaus lets out an angry yell and storms off. Rebekah feels some sympathy for him knowing that he has to deal with the connection that both his werewolf and vampire side have with Caroline. But she still knows he deserves it.

.

.

Damon sighs and swigs his drink. He hisses as alcohol splatters all over his shirt. He turns slowly, glaring at the blonde sobbing into his shoulder.

"Blondie, I know I've already promised to beat whoever you're crying about up, but you're actually tempting me—"

"I'm sorry!" She cries. "I'm just so—sad!" Her head buries itself into his shoulder again. He moves his glass out of harm's way, which is as far away from the crying blonde as it can be.

"Caroline—"

Her head pops up again. "But I'm also so happy!" He sees how she's smiled so wide it hurts her cheeks. "I can't stop smiling and I can't stop crying!" Caroline whines loudly, rubbing her hands along her face. "What's happening to me?"

"Hell if I know." He grumbles and tries to drink his bourbon again. She grabs his arm and his beloved alcohol spills again. His jaw tightens.

"Damon, you _have_ to know!" Caroline cries. "You're a freaking vampire! You have to have seen this before!"

Damon sighs and places his glass on the table. He cups Caroline's cheeks with his palms. Her cheeks squish together and she looks at him expectantly.

"Yes, Caroline, I know what's wrong with you." Her eyes gleam. "You've been spending so much time with Rebekah that you've been affected with the same disorder she has."

Through her squished cheeks Caroline squeaks, "Imma ban-pire?"

"No," Damon gasps dramatically. "You're—annoying!"

Caroline glares at him as he lets her go and sits back. He picks up his glass and takes a long slug.

Caroline huffs. "You've made it perfectly clear that you thought that already."

"Nah, that's just how I show affection." He winks and Caroline groans, realising he's going to be no help. Though, admittedly, she knew that already. But she also knew he was the only person she could cry on who wouldn't mention it afterwards.

Caroline has never loved Damon. But she's also never hated him. He was cruel to her when they first met but since Rebekah arrived in Mystic Falls she became his second least favourite blonde. They might actually be friends. She's not sure what 'being friends' even means. Bonnie and Elena are her friends. But they don't invite her out unless it's a birthday party and they don't eat with her at lunch unless she sits with them. Kelly and Molly are her friends. But they only talk to her during cheerleading practice. Rebekah—lied to her and used her. But she was always the kindest to Caroline. She invited her shopping and made her laugh. So you can see why she's very confused.

"Caroline!" The blonde turns around and frowns at the brunette.

"Shouldn't you be contaminating Matt and drowning yourself in the Mikaelson's booze? Or did you remember you weren't actually invited to the party?"

Hayley raises her eyebrows challengingly. "Shouldn't you be trailing behind Rebekah? Or did she let you off the leash?" Caroline eyes her, feeling a little impressed. "Anyway, I couldn't help but eavesdrop—" Caroline rolls her eyes. "But I heard a little something about you and Mr. TooGoodForEveryone."

"What?"

"The Nik of Klaus." She says sarcastically. Caroline's mouth forms an O shape.

"Well, I mean he's—"

"Yeah, I know. Your other half? Your sunshine? Your only?"

Caroline blinks. "What?"

Hayley furrows her eyebrows. "He's your mate, right? I mean, he's running _through_ the trees in the forest so I figured—"

"What? What's a mate? Is this a High-whatever thing?"

"Hybrid." Hayley says slowly. "You don't know—" She smirks. "Let's get a coffee."

"It's, like, eleven—" Hayley joins their arm and leads Caroline out of The Grill. Oh, she's going to have so much fun.

.

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	4. three

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**three**

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"He wants to _what_?"

"Oh, don't worry," Hayley slides the dress along the pole and examines the next one. "Turning you into a monster isn't the worst thing he wants to do." She laughs. Caroline's eye twitches.

"But he—How—"

"Have you seen _True Blood_?" Caroline's eyes widen, a sudden wave of terror flows through her. "It's nothing like that." Caroline sighs in relief. "It's worse."

"I feel sick." Caroline holds her stomach and Hayley smirks at the red dress she's admiring.

"Really it isn't all that bad!" She insists. "I mean, I've never gone through it myself, of course, but—"

"What? Why are you telling me about things you don't even know about? Or—" Caroline shakes her head. This is way too much for her.

"Look, I've been a werewolf—well, I was born one—but you're not really a werewolf when you're born one." Caroline glares at her. Hayley sighs, and faces the blonde sitting crosslegged on her green bedcovers. "It's like, you're not—okay, not to sound hideously cliche but—it's like you're not _home_—it's like you don't have one until you have a mate." Hayley bites her lip. "Or, that's what they say."

"But Nic-klaus—_Ni_-klaus, whatever, is, like, a billion years old so if he never became a vampire he would never even have met me!"

Hayley shrugs. "Fate's a bitch."

"Is Fate a person?"

Hayley shrugs again.

"Alright, so I guess I understand why he'd want to—_turn_ me. But I don't understand—I mean, I get that we're supposed to be all lovey-dovey soulmates but what if—I mean, we mightn't even _like_ each other."

"But you're supposed to." Hayley blinks. "That's the point."

"But—" Caroline stutters out a few vowels and then sighs. She purses her lips as she thinks about it. After a few seconds in silence Hayley returns to snooping through Caroline's clothes. "How did he know?" Caroline whispers.

"Hmm?"

"How did he know I was—How did Rebekah know?"

"Well, he felt it." Hayley says it like it's that simple.

"I didn't feel anything."

"Well, you're only human." Caroline doesn't take offence to that but her stomach feels like someone is performing a puppet show with her organs. It might just be the whole experience that's making her feel so queasy.

"Not for long, apparently." She mutters bitterly and Hayley blows out through her mouth.

"Look, I don't know him, Caroline, so I don't know how he'll react. But if it's anything like—" She pauses and Caroline nods for her to continue. "It's different depending on what someone is. Mr. TooGoodForEveryone is half werewolf half friggin' vampire so god only—" She pauses again, looking at Caroline. "Okay, I don't like you." Caroline raises her eyebrows but it's not exactly new information. "I was going to feed you a few lies and freak you out, maybe prank you to rile up the Mikaelsons a bit. But, I don't think—I think this could be dangerous."

Caroline furrows her eyebrows. "If you wanted to freak me out. Job done."

Hayley scrunches up her nose. "Hybrids are the most powerful creatures in the entire world! And, Caroline, I don't think anyone's really focused on this, but one is madly in love with you past logical reason." Hayley raises her eyebrows, shaking her head. "I think freaking out is the only thing you _can_ do."

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"Head Cheerleader. Miss Mystic Falls— um." Caroline paces her back-garden.

"What are you doing?"

Caroline jumps and swings around. She eyes the original wearing the horrendous hat. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Kol shrugs. "My brother wanted to keep a close eye on you without being too creepy."

"Too—Are you kidding?"

Kol furrows his eyebrows. "No."

Caroline narrows her eyes.

Kol beams and stretches out. The chair creaks as it inches forward and back from his movement. "I rather like this. It's comfy. What's it called?"

"A swing chair?"

"Hmm, I expected better."

"I don't know, Kol." Caroline whines. "It's a chair that swings. What more do you want?"

"A name with more flare."

Caroline sighs heavily. "Please leave."

"No can do." He swings his legs up so he's lying horizontally. "I'm afraid I'm here for the night."

"And what are you getting for that?"

Kol smirks, tilts his ridiculous cowboy hat over his eyes, the beads dangling from it clinking together loudly. "Eleven virgins."

Caroline narrows her eyes then widens them. "Really?"

"No." Kol rolls his eyes though Caroline can't see under the hat. "So what were you doing?"

"When?"

"Head Cheerleader. Miss Mystic Falls— um." He says in a high pitched voice that Caroline realises is supposed to be an imitation of hers. She wrinkles her nose at him.

"I was listing the things I accomplished to make myself feel better. And I ran out after two so it didn't really work." She continues on quickly so he can't comment. "What's up with the hat?"

He scratches his face, decides to ignore what she just did, and pats the hat gently. "I just grabbed one from the rack as I was leaving. My family has weird fetishes." He smirks. "As you will soon find out."

Caroline grips her hair tightly, suddenly remembering why she was out there in the first place. As she begins to hyperventilate Kol groans and wishes he hadn't told the she-wolf to leave.

.

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Rebekah blows on her wet nails. She smiles, satisfied with them, and returns her attention to the television. A bang sounds from downstairs and she knows her brother is home. She expects him to either ignore her completely or stumble into her room with a liquor-fuelled speech.

She almost suspects he choose to ignore her until a familiar cry of pain echoes from downstairs. She could never forget that voice. She flashes downstairs and slaps her hand over her mouth the second she sees him—after all that time—lying on the floor. Dead.

Rebekah falls to her knees beside him and caresses his grey veins.

"How long did you know where she was?" At the sound of his slurred voice she collects herself, stray tears still escaping.

"_Years_." She hisses. He growls and throws a vase across the room.

"HOW COULD YOU KEEP THAT FROM ME?!"

Rebekah laughs coldly. "Hah. As if the evidence isn't right in front of you!" Another sob leaves her lips and she clutches at her chest as her heart contracts painfully.

He hums down at Stefan's body. "Did you know when you met _him_?"

"Yes." She lies. Just to spite him. Just to hurt him.

Klaus' fists clench. "And you wouldn't even tell me then?"

"Why should I have? Why would I have?" But the pain is too much to keep on fighting. She breaks down, her heart stinging more than her eyes.

"What ever is the matter, _sister_?" Klaus says mockingly, twirling a strand of her bright blonde hair around his finger. "Did your plans not unfold the way you expected them to, _sister_? Was your revenge not as sweet as you thought it would be, _sis_—"

"STOP SPITTING THAT WORD IN MY FACE!" She cries, pulling Stefan's body closer to hers.

Klaus chuckles bitterly. "Relax, would you, dear? Perhaps you can find yourself a witch to bring him back for you. You do after all have a certain way of persuading them to do your bidding."

"OKAY!" She inhales sharply then whispers, "Okay. I'm sorry."

He cups his ear. "What was that!"

"I apologise, you giant ass!"

Klaus chuckles. "Very well. You can wake up now, Stefan."

Stefan peeks up at Rebekah sheepishly and she gapes down at him. "You—you were _pretending_?"

"He said he'd dagger you otherwise."

Rebekah hisses and pushes Stefan away. If he had been compelled she would have hugged him and kissed him and cried happily this time. But he had played her like her brother had—like he _always_ does.

Stefan pushes himself up and reaches out a hand to her. "Bekah—"

"No. I don't want to speak to you. Ever. Again." She storms off.

Klaus laughs and Stefan glares at him. The hybrid shrugs and pouts mockingly. Stefan wishes he had run off to Hawaii like Damon suggested.

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**a/n -** who do you want other people's mates to be? I never really thought of anyone but Klaroline so...and obviously Stebekah has already happened...but otherwise it's up to you.


	5. four

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**four**

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"DAMON!"

He scowls and rubs his forehead. "What?" He spits.

"I NEED YOUR HELP I AM SO NOT OKAY LIKE OH MY GOD YOU DON'T EVEN—"

He squishes her cheeks together as he cups her chin with his palm. "Caroline, _you_ don't even know the things I want to do to you right now." His voice is a soft purr but his eyes show the threat behind it. Then, he's across the room (and _in_ the table).

Caroline gapes at Klaus who does _not_ look pleased (but _does_ look very handsome).

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" He looks taken aback and confused by her outburst. She can picture his little puppy ears falling down and hugging the sides of his face—and she just wants to hug him hug him hug him, it's_ not_ fair.

He glances at Damon, who is trying to disconnect himself from the furniture, and back to her. She lets out a small sigh at his puzzled expression.

Smiling sweetly, she says as if talking to a child, "Good people don't hurt other people."

"He's not a good person." Damon snorts then chokes as a fork lodges into his throat.

"Oh my—_Stop_ hurting him!"

"Why do you care about his wellbeing?" He hisses at her but for some reason she's not afraid. She actually rolls her eyes as he sulks like a child over her possibly caring about anyone else.

"I don't." He tilts his head and stares at her, studies her as if she's some sort of alien. She groans. "Why are you even here?"

"Because you're here."

Caroline opens her mouth and then closes it. She glances at Damon. Narrowing her eyes in thought, she peeks up at Klaus—the apparently 'all mighty hybrid king' or whatever—and then points at Damon. "Help him." And he does. Caroline smiles. What a wonderful opportunity for revenge.

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.

Damon scowls at Klaus. Klaus stares at Caroline. Caroline chomps happily on a slice of pizza.

"Alright." Caroline rubs her hands together then cleans her mouth with a napkin. "So, Operation ROBK." Pronounced_ rob _(Caroline decided the K is silent) and stands for Revenge on Barbie Klaus (Damon might have had a hand in deciding it). "Any ideas?" Klaus opens his mouth. "Any non-violent ideas?" Klaus closes his mouth and beams at her.

Damon snorts. Caroline thinks he's only here because he's amused at the whole situation. She expected snarky comments but he actually appeared to have the sense to keep them to himself.

"What about Matt?" Caroline smiles at the mention of his name. Klaus loses his immediately.

"Yeah, she's fawned over Matt since day one."

"Not quite, love." Caroline frowns at him. He smiles at having her attention. "Rebekah has a mate."

Caroline pouts and Damon raises his eyebrows. "Who?"

"Your brother."

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.

Caroline tries not to meet his eyes as she gently wipes the blood off of his face. He finds it cute how her chest heaves as she silently fumes at him.

"What happened to you?" Amy Bradley giggles as she struts in the door. Caroline snaps then—because Amy freakin' Bradley, really universe?

"OH MY—keep walking, Amy. Keep walking or I swear I will open one hell of a can of Caroass. I'm serious, get ready for some kickoline because I have had it up to _here_ with _everyone_." She lets out a frustrated whine that might have made her sound slightly insane. "Seriously, this idiot—who is apparently going to be my future husband—just broke a_ store_ brawling over some douchy 'rippah' who he doesn't even like!"

Amy backs out the door, eyes wide. The only sound left in the bathroom is Caroline's heavy breathing.

"Damon started it."

"KLAUS!"

"Yes, future wife?"

"UGH!"

He takes her hand holding the scrunched up tissue in his. "Caroline," He looks worried. "I barely fought back."

She peers up at him through her eyelashes. Licking her lips, she almost laughs. She doesn't understand why he's so worried about what she thinks. Well, she does, but she doesn't. She offers him a small smile and decides to leave her hand in his.

"I smelt you first, you know." She furrows her eyebrows in confusion. "I smelt you when you entered the house and I didn't know why but then I saw you and—and I wanted to be anyone else." She looks hurt. He quickly continues. "Because I knew just by looking into your eyes that you were so—_good_." He swallows, shrugs. "And I am all that's bad."

He doesn't look like he's waiting for her to object but a small — or incessantly large — part of her wants to.

"It doesn't matter." His head snaps up. He stares into her eyes and she feels so vulnerable. She looks down and takes a deep breath. "If we are supposed to be together—"

"We are." She rolls her eyes and he smiles.

"If we are, then the only people who can mess it up—." She peers at him through her eyelashes, meeting his eyes. "—is us. So it doesn't matter what you've done up to now if you regret the bad things." Caroline has never felt more grown up in her life. She's actually quite proud of herself.

"What if I don't?"

She looks down and pauses to work up the courage to look him in the eyes again.

"Then we'll work on it."

He beams and she suddenly feels very warm and a little lightheaded. She thinks she might like that feeling as she squeezes his hand.

.

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a/n - calm before the storm? Or will they hold together?


End file.
